• Don’t be afraid of the seedy! Most of the best thrift stores are in the less than ideal parts of town. Thrift stores are dirty and you will have to dig, but isn’t a bargain worth digging for?

• Make nice with the owner/manager! Tell them what you are looking for and they may know where it is or will keep an eye out for you.

• Thrift stores need bags for the customer’s purchases. Your home is likely filled with them, both paper and plastic, so make nice and curry some favor!

• If there is a quantity of an item, but they are priced individually, ask if they can give you a price if you take all of
them. Be prepared to take them (or not) depending on the price. If you ask for a better price on an item (not all do this) be prepared to pay it. The owners get really peeved if you ask continually and never buy it.

• Most thrift stores have a discount schedule (colored dots/tags, sections that are over stocked with items, etc). This is usually posted or announced when you arrive, so look for it or ask. It may make the difference in buying it or leaving it there.

• Think of other uses for your purchases. The shirt with a spot can be fabric for a bag; a wool sweater can be felted. A shirt missing buttons can have a new funkier set. A single earring can become a pendant on a necklace or the center for a brooch. No item is a lost cause unless it is disgusting!

• Craig’s List is a good place to check for shops. They usually post it in the yard/garage sale section.

• Stop in often! They get new merchandise EVERY DAY and ALL DAY! It is not the same store 20 minutes after you leave.

• Google search “thrift shops” and “your town”. You may find ones that you never knew of. Ask a fellow thrift shopper if they found any new or cool shops.

• If your gut tells you that the item is worth something, LISTEN! As you develop and fine tune your thrifting skills it gets better. You can also go home and research it. I buy items at the Goodwill and then take home and research it. They have a return policy for store credit only, so I am not at a loss if I take it back.

• Tell your thrifting buddies what you are looking for. They can help you look for that illusive item.

Good luck and happy hunting!

Cindy Hamlin is a lover of thrift shops and a maker of things. She shares her exploits on her blog, Cindy is Crafty (cindyiscrafty.wordpress.com) and she makes and sells jewelry designs at shops in the Metro Richmond region and her thrift finds on eBay.

The 10th Annual Filipino Festival will be held Aug. 7-8 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 8200 Woodman Rd., beginning with opening ceremonies at 5 p.m. Friday and continuing with live entertainment, food and exhibits until 10 p.m. On Saturday the festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with a full schedule of performances featuring traditional Filipino dance, music and song.

Filipino cuisine, including BBQ, pansit, lumpia, adobo, halo-halo, lechon, empanada and leche flan, will be available for purchase. The festival will also feature a children's area, church tours, exhibits, and health screenings. > Read more.

The Children’s Museum of Richmond last week opened its new Short Pump location at Short Pump Town Center, to the delight of children who attended a sneak preview of the location July 10. The new facility, located under the forthcoming LL Bean store (formerly the food court) is 8,500 square feet in size – much larger than CMoR’s former Short Pump location at West Broad Village, which opened in 2010. The new space includes The CarMax Foundation Service Station, the Silver Diner, a grocery store, a performance stage and an art studio, as well as a giant Light Bright Wall. > Read more.

The Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Henrico Police are both presenting community events tomorrow, Aug. 1. The Feria Community Resource Fair at Richmond International Raceway brings together community service providers, embassies/consulates from Latin American countries, government agencies, nonprofit organizations and corporations that impact the Latino community. The Division of Police’s Community Day will feature demonstrations and displays from police, fire, animal protection and sheriff’s office, as well as family activities, food, entertainment and more. Other events this weekend include wine, chess and theatre! For all our top picks this weekend, click here! > Read more.